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: Kentucky Law Blog

JUDICIAL POLITICS: More on the King Campaign Finances and a little segue into investigatory journalism and blogging

By Michael Stevens

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This post bounces around a little - a little about local bloggers breaking stories which prompted my earlier post entitled OP-ED: Letter to the editor in CJ supportive of Judge Katie King and which generated the following comment from Ed Springston who blogs at Louisville News and Politics and who has investigated the Katie King campaign issues. Ed has followed the election financing aspects of this story whereas Jake Payne at PageOne of Kentucky "broke" several stories during the King campaign.

Although I like to think that our normal investigative and complaint resolution procedures work, I am not so naive to believe the system is perfect. Sometimes it needs the prodding from citizens and the Fourth Estate, to include bloggers, who provide investigatory assistance and raise issues that might be overlooked. Or to put it another way, those outside the system provide a different perspective and offer a little sunshine on the process.

If you don't believe me or you continue to question the power of solid blogging or the value of local investigatory reporting, then you should take a look at Page One and Jake Payne's posts on the Robert Felner fiasco at University of Louisville or the recent investigatory reporting in the Courier Journal regarding local courts - Officer Absent, Case Dismissed. And Jake Payne and Page One are again putting UofL under the microscope regarding the nursing suit dismissal, having 'broke' the story before the mainstream media - Explosive Problem for the University of Louisville - Nursing Student Expelled for MySpace Blog.

After receiving Ed Springston's comment to my earlier post, I did not want it relegated to below the fold and thought it best to run the other side of this story being circulated on Judge King (which was the reason behind sharing some "good" press on her performance in the first place). Hope this helps complete the picture. My goal is to try and be balanced, but just because I think I am the most reasonable person I know does not mean others may disagree!

First, here is Ed's Comment (moved from below the fold):

You know the issue here is not how well she does her job. IF she got that job through illegal means it certainly would mean a great deal to those who believe our Judges should be above illegality.

Let the process take place. And really I would expect noless from Steve Magre, a well estabished insider of the machine that King works diligently. Funny though Magre was the one used for this piece instead of someone more recent and relevant to the process.

Posted by: Ed Springston | Monday, March 16, 2009 at 02:52 AM

Second, here are some of Ed's posts regarding his election finance complaint. To the extent that should anyone be elected by illegal means then there should be consequences. However, the rule of law requires resolution through proper channels with the hope that these forums will ultimately separate the politically permissible from the judicially and electorally improper.

A little assist from the citizenry will presumably be beneficial, as well.

Besides, "Sunshine is the best disinfectant (Justice Brandeis)", and these legally significant stories need to be shared with the legal community.